Automatic light-switch.



J. F RIPPIN.

AUTOMATIC LIGHT SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 1. 1917- I 1,281,210. Patented 0015.8,1918.

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APPLICATION FILED DEC-11917,

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James 1719130 in WWW JAMES I. RIPPIN, OF J'OHNSTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMATIC LIGHT-SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 8,1918.

Application filed December 1, 1917. Serial No. 204,928.

a To all whom at may concern:

icitizen of the United States, residing at Johnstown, in the county of Cambria and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Light-Switches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for automatically operating an electric switch, so that a light) or other circuit may be completed or broken by the opening of the door or other swingin member.

An object of tie invention is to provide means whereby a circuit controlling switch may be automatically operated by the opening of a door either to complete or break the circuit as desired, provision being made for rendering the operating means inactive, so that the circuit will remain either open or closed as desired.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device as above set forth, which is simple in construction, positive in operation so that it may be manufactured and sold at a minimum cost.

The invention therefore consists of the following novel combinations and arrangement of parts, to be hereinafter more fully described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

n the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation of the outer portion of a door and jamb with the invention ap lied thereto.

ig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view through the door and jamb, the invention being shown in plan view and the door in a closed position.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view with the casing in section and illustrating the action of the strip when the door is being closed.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view through the casing with the switch in elevation, and

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2 with the strip in its inoperative position.

Referring in detail to the drawings, like characters of reference denote corresponding parts throughout the several views.

In the practical form of the invention, it is preferred toinclose the switch 10 in a casing or housing 11 of substantially rectangular formation, the said housing being rovided with apertured ears 12 at each of its corners for the passage of fastening devices 13, by means of which the said housing may be secured to the outer casing in proper position.

The switch 10 is of the three way rotary snap type, but it is not the purpose of the invention to be limited to this form of switch, as for example the two way switch may be substituted.

The casing 11 is adapted to be positioned along the vertical edge of the outer chamber at any convenient height and at the side opposite the hinged side of the door. The side of the casing adjacent the door is formed with a slot 14 and located within the casing at one edge of the slot is a lug 15, which forms a bearing for one end of the shaft 16. The opposite end of this shaft is mounted within a bearing formed in a threaded block 17, removably received with I in a threaded opening 18 provided in the casing 11.

Mounted upon the shaft 16 is a supporting gear 19, which meshes with the pinion 20 mounted upon the actuating shaft of the switch 10. Also mounted upon the'shaft 16 is a wheel or disk 21, provided with radially disposed arms 22. In the use of the three way switch there is preferably employed a disk having six arms as shown, but in a two way switch the number of these arms would be increased to eight. The gear 19 and the disk 21 are suitably spaced apart by a washer 23, while washers 24 serve to space the said gear and disk from the bearings at each end of the shaft 16.

,As shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the

arms 22 of the disk 21 project throughthe slot 14: to the outside of the casing and are positioned in the path of movement of the door carried strip 25. The strip 25 consists of a plate 26, which is suita ly positioned adjacent the top of the door and has mounted thereon by means of a pivot pin 27, an arm 28. The pin 27 is mounted in ears 29 projecting from the plate 26 and the arm 28 is positioned between these ears and spaced from the late. Interposed between the arm 28 and t e plate and between ears 29 is a flat spring 30, the purpose of which is to yieldably hold the arm in position for engagement with one of the arms 22 whenv the door is being closed, so that the arm 28 may be moved upon its pivot to pass the arm 22. This spring also serves to hold the arm 28 out ofposition for engagement with one of the arms 22.

In order to prevent retrograde movement of the disk 21 when the door is being closed, there is secured to the casing 10 a pivoted dog 31, which is held in engagement with the gear 19 by means of a spring 32, so that the gear is permitted to revolve upon opening the door but is held against movement as the door is being closed.

From the foregoing description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be seen that the invention provides a novel and convenient form of completing the light circuit automatically by the opening of the door, so that the lamps will be automatically lighted by a person entering the room. When it is desired to extinguish the lights upon leaving the room, the door will be closed and then partly opened, which will operate the switch to break the circuit so that upon again closing the door the trap will be in position to light the lamps upon a further opening of the door. If it is desired to render the switch inoperative, it is only necessary to swing the arm 28 upon its pivot to the opposite end of the plate 26.

Having claimed is;

described the invention what is 1. A door controlled switch operating mechanism embodying a casing having a slot therein, a rotary snap switch mounted in said casing, a shaft having bearin in said casing and positioned transverse y of said slot, gears connecting said shaft and the operating shaft of the switch, radially disposed arms earried by the filst mentioned shaft, said arms extending through the slot in the casing and a door carried element adapted to be moved into en agement with said arms to rotate the she t and operate the switch.

'2. A door controlled switch operating mechanism embodying a casin having a slot therein, a rotary snap switc within said casing, a shaft mounted for rotation within the casing and operatively connected to the switch, an element mounted upon said shaft and projecting through the slot in the casing and a door carried element adapted to be moved into engagement with the shaft car-' ried element to rotatethe shaft and operate the switch.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

JAMES F. RIPPIN. 

